Meanwhile.
Eastern Star Domain, Ji Family headquarters.
This colossal complex of buildings, stretching across several star domains, was shrouded year-round in dense, misty immortal aura.
At this moment, a streak of light came hurtling in from beyond the heavens, ignoring the layers upon layers of outer restrictions and plunging straight into the core area.
As the light faded, it revealed a middle-aged man in black robes, his aura as unfathomably deep as the sea.
His face was imposing, yet a trace of gravity rested between his brows, clearly showing that something weighed on his mind.
The Ji Family disciples he encountered along the way, whether they were practicing divine abilities or exchanging Dao techniques,
all immediately stopped what they were doing upon seeing him, straightened their backs, and bowed in salute, their voices ringing out in perfect unison:
"Family Head!"
The arrival was none other than the current head of the Ji Family, Ji Xuanming.
In response to his clansmen's greetings, he merely gave a faint nod. His steps never slowed as he headed directly toward the family's most central inner residence.
The moment he entered the inner residence, a young man in brocade hurried forward and respectfully saluted him.
"Father, you've finally returned!"
At the sight of his third son, Ji Renyuan, the tension in Ji Xuanming's brow finally eased somewhat.
He first patted his son on the shoulder before asking in a deep voice,
"How is your mother?"
A bitter smile appeared on Ji Renyuan's face.
"Mother... ever since she heard that Ye Li had ranked third on the [Latent Dragon Ranking], she hasn't had the heart for tea or the mind for the Dao."
"From what I've seen, she's been extremely restless even when resting."
"That's normal." Ji Xuanming sighed.
A little nobody they had casually offended